[caption id="attachment_65246" align="alignright" width="249"] Diane Kelly with Nellie, a miniature Galloway, which stars in The Hobbit.[/caption] Christchurch's own Nellie the cow could join the likes of Lassie, Flipper and Skippy when she makes an appearance in Peter Jackson's upcoming blockbuster The Hobbit.

The female miniature Galloway was "just meant to be floating in the background" of a scene in the long-awaited Peter Jackson movie when she walked up behind an actor, knocked his hat off and started licking his bald head.

"She just wouldn't stop licking his head. She's so good-natured and friendly and they just loved it so they're going to put it in the movie," said Diane Kelly, who brought Nellie to this year's Canterbury A&P Show.